Staying Fit During the Holidays
5 Steps to Crushing it.
By: Austin Moncivaez
The holidays are here, and with them, the obstacles and distractions that have derailed countless fitness journeys. If you’re like me, you love this time of year. The stores around town are decorated, Christmas music is playing on the radio, and it’s a great opportunity to spend time with family that you don’t get to see very often.
However, as everyone knows, the holiday season can be detrimental to your fitness goals. It’s a very busy time of the year, and gyms see attendance drop during the month of December every year. And then there’s the food. Starches and carbs everywhere. Grandmothers seem hell-bent on fattening their children and grandchildren with sweet potato casserole and pies.
Not to worry though, we’ve put together a short list of some simple and practical tips to get you through the holidays while staying on track. Read up, do your best, and most importantly, enjoy the holidays with your friends and family. Merry Christmas from everyone here at Edge Fitness Performance!
- Recognize that your fitness is not the most important thing in your life. It’s great to make it a priority, but don’t let it get in the way of spending time with family. If cutting your workout down to 30 minutes a day means extra time with your loved ones, it’s worth it.
- Along the same line, don’t let family coming into town or family gatherings completely prohibit you from working out. Take that cousin or uncle who’s in town to your gym for a workout. It’s a great chance to catch up, and you may even encourage them to start or continue along their own fitness journey.
- Let yourself enjoy Christmas dinner with your family. Don’t be the weird guy who brings grilled chicken and kale to your family dinner. One meal isn’t going to set you back. Sometimes a serving or two of that stuffing or pie is just what you need to get the craving out of your system.
- Building from the last point, don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “I ate one bad meal, I might as well eat bad through the weekend and start fresh on Monday.” There’s nothing wrong with indulging for a meal, as long as you get right back on track. Make it a priority to hit the gym for a quick session, or go for a short run the day after.
- If possible, time your workout around your meal with your family. If you know at 6:00 you’ll be sitting down to eat copious amounts of casserole, pumpkin pie, and other treats, aim to finish your workout around 5:00 so that your meal fits in your anabolic window.
All in all we hope this helps you stay fit this holiday season but don't forget to take a step back and enjoy! It only comes around once a year.